• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.125-132
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• 2003

The present study was attempted to investigate and compare the antioxidant potency of several well-know flavonoids, antioxidant vitamin and commercially available popular beverages. The antioxidant potency was assessed by the effect on reducing oxidative DNA damage of human lymphocytes. Cellular oxidative DNA damage was measured by SCGE (single-cell gel electrophoresis), also known as comet assay. Lymphocytes were pre-treated for 30 minutes with wide ranges of doses of apigenin, kaempferol, luteolin, myricetin, rutin, quercetin, $\alpha$-tocopherol (10,25,50,100,200,500,1000 $\mu$M) ,green tea extract or grape juice (10,50,100,250,500,1000 $\mu$g/mL) followed by a $H_2O$$_2$(100 $\mu$M) treatment for 5 min as an oxidative stimulus. The physiological function of each antioxidant substance on oxidative DNA damage was analyzed as tail moment (tail length $\times$ percentage migrated DNA in tail) and expressed as relative DNA damage score after adjusting by the level of control treatment. Cells treated with $H_2O$$_2$alone (positive control) had an extensive DNA damage compared with cells treated with phosphate buffered saline (PBS, negative control) or pre-treated with all the tested samples. Of all the six flavonoids, quercetin was the most potent antioxidant showing the lowest $ED_{50}$/ of 8.5 $\mu$g/mL (concentration to produce 50% protection of relative DNA damage). The antoxidant potency of individual flavonoids were ranked as follows in a decreasing order; luteolin (18.4 $\mu$g/mL), myricetin (19.0 $\mu$g/mL) , rutin (22.2 $\mu$g/mL) , apigenin (24,3 $\mu$g/mL) , kaempferol (25.5 $\mu$g/mL). The protective effect of $\alpha$-tocopherol was substantially lower (highest $ED_{50}$value of 55.0 $\mu$g/mL) than all the other flavonoids, while the protective effect was highest in green tea and grape juice with low ED5O value of 7.6 and 5.3, respectively. These results suggest that flavonoids, especially quercetin, and natural compounds from food product, green tea and grape juice, produced powerful anti-oxidative activities, even stronger than $\alpha$-tocopherol. Taken together, supplementation of antioxidants to lymphocytes followed by oxidative stimulus inhibited damage to cellular DNA, supporting a protective effect against oxidative damage induced by reactive oxygen species.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.325-330
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• 2004

The RAD3 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is required for excision repair and is essential for cell viability. RAD3 encoded protein possesses a single stranded DNA-dependent ATPase and DNA and DNA-RNA helicase activities. To examine the extent of conservation of structure and function of RAD3 during eukaryotic evolution, the RAD3 homolog gene was isolated by screening of genomic DNA library. The isolated gene was designated as HRD3 (Homologue of RAD3 gene). The over-expressed HRD3 protein was estimated to be a 75 kDa in size which is in good agreement with the estimated by the nucleotide sequence of the cloned gene. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis showed that a number of other protein spots dramatically disappeared when the HRD3 protein was overexpressed. The overexpressed RAD3 protein showed a toxicity in E. coli host, suggesting that this protein may be involved in the inhibition of protein synthesis and/or degradation of host protein. To determine which part of HRD3 gene contributes to the toxicity in E. coli, various fusion plasmids containing a partial sequence of HRD3 and lac'Z gene were constructed. These results suggest that the C-terminal domain of HRD3 protein may be important for both toxic effect in E. coli and for its role in DNA repair in S. pombe.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.386-396
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• 2005

The effects of spirulina-added salad dressing on lipid profiles and antioxidant biomarkers such as total glutathionine, TBARS value, carbonyl value, GPx, GR, SOD and paraoxonase activity in plasma or liver of mice were evaluated Sixteen male ICR mice weighing 20$\pm$2 g were divided into two groups and fed low fat ($5\%$ fat) diet (low fat control: LFC) and low fat control plus dressing diet (LFD) for eight weeks. Body weight, tissue weights of liver, heart and kidney, and the distribution of body fat deposition were not significantly different between two groups. Also, the profile of TG, TC, LDL and HDL cholesterol were similar between two groups. The DNA damage was determined using the comet assay (single cell gel assay) with alkaline electrophoresis and quantified by measuring tail length (TL). Spirulina salad dressing consumption resulted in significant decrease in lymphocyte DNA damage expressed by TL (LFC: $28.8{\mu}m$, LFD: $20.3{\mu}m$). Additionally, salad dressing consumption for 8 wks decreased the lipid peroxidation assayed by TBARS to $12.6\%$ compared with the control. The levels of antioxidant vitamins such as $\beta$-carotene were significantly higher in plasma of LFD group than those in LFC group based on HPLC method This study shows that spirulina-added salad dressing exerts degenerative disease-protective effects on oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation possibly via a free radical levels.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.162-166
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• 2005

Two flavonoids, 7-O-methyl-3',4'-didehydroxy quercetin (MDQ) and quercetin, isolated from Chinese propolis, which is the generic name for the resinous substance collected by honeybees from various plant sources, were tested for their antioxidant activity and protective effect against radiation-induced DNA damage in mouse lymphocytes. In antioxidant test, both compounds provided a dose-dependent scavenging effect on DPPH radical and a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation in mouse liver. Quercetin showed stronger scavenging and inhibitory effect than MDQ, and it also provided strong inhibition on superoxide anion radical generated in xanthine-xanthine oxidase system, but there was no inhibitory ability for MDQ. In comet assay using single cell gel electrophoresis, MDQ and quercetin showed a protective effect against DNA damage caused by gamma irradiation. They reduced DNA damage to 54% (p<0.01) and 53% (p<0.01) at 25 $\mu$mol, respectively. These results suggest that free radical scavenging seems to be associated with their catechol form on the B ring, and radioprotection appears to be a likely mechanism of antioxidant activity by these flavonoids.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.385-392
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• 2001

Environmental risk factors such as ionizing radiations, heavy metals, and pesticides can cause environmental disasters when they exist in excess. The increases in use of ionizing radiation and agricultural pesticide are somewhat related to the possibility of the disaster. The risk of radiation and pesticide was evaluated by means of the single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) assay on the human blood lymphocytes. The lymphocytes were irradiated with $0{\sim}2.0Gy$ of $^{60}Co$ gamma ray. Another groups of lymphocytes were exposed to various concentrations of parathion. Significantly increased tail moment, which was a marker of DNA strand breaks in SCGE assay, showed a clear dose- or concentration-response relationship. Parathion of a recommended concentration for agricultural use ($1mg {\ell}^{-1}$ ) has a strong cytotoxic effect on lymphocytes, which is equivalent to damage induced by 0.1 Gy of ${\gamma}$-ray. Furthermore, $2mg{\ell}^{-1}$ of parathion can give rise to DNA damage equivalent to that induced by 0.25 Gy at which the radiation-induced damage can start to develop into clinical symptoms. The comparative results of this study can provide an experimental basis and biological information for the prevention of environmental disaster.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.245-251
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• 2010

Objective: Human sperm nucleus DNA damage may negatively affect pregnancy outcome, and the spermatozoa of infertile men have more DNA damage than that of fertile men. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of microsurgical varicocelectomy on human sperm nucleus DNA integrity. Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 18 subfertile male patients who underwent microsurgical varicocelectomy at our hospital from April 2006 to April 2007. Varicocele was diagnosed by physical examination and Doppler ultrasound. Standard semen analysis was performed in 18 patients before and 4 months after microsurgical varicoceletcomy using a computer assisted semen analyzer. Sperm nucleus DNA integrity was assessed by a single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay). Results: No recurrence of varicocele was observed after 4 months later. The DNA fragmentation index improved after varicocelectomy compared with pre-operatively (19.3 versus 13.7%, respectively, p<0.05). Semen analysis parameters (total count, concentration, motile sperm, viability, strict morphology) increased after varicocelectomy, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: Our data suggest that microsurgical varicocelectomy can improve semen analysis parameters and human sperm nucleus DNA integrity in infertile men with varicocele.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.739-744
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• 2003

This study was carried out to investigate the antioxidative activity and to identify the active components of hot-water extract of Paeoniajaponica (PJ), which was a main ingredient of a herb mixture preparation recently established as a potent candidate of radioprotector in our laboratory. The water extract was fractionated with CHCl$_3$, EtOAc and n-BuOH. The extract and its fractions showed very low activity in hydroxyl radical scavenging test. In lipid peroxidation test, the extract, EtOAc and water fractions showed moderate inhibition with the ratio above 50%. In DPPH radical scavenging test, the extract, EtOAc and water fraction showed high activity with the ratio above 80%, especially. EtOAc fraction scavenged the radicals as much as synthetic antioxidant (BHA), even at low concentration. It is suggested that mai or partition for antioxidative activity of Paeonia japonica was EtOAc fraction. Subsequently, two active compounds (PJE021-1 and JE024-1) from EtOAc fraction were isolated by using MCI gel and silica gel column chromatography The two compounds inhibited remarkedly the $H_2O$$_2$-induced DNA damage in human peripheral blood lymphocytes, measured by single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE). PJE021-1 protected the cells to almost negative control level, dose-dependently. PJE024-1 exhibited a potent inhibition with the ratio of 71% at even low concentration (0.5 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$). Finally, their chemical structures were identified as gallic acid (PJE021-1) and (＋)-catechin (PJE024-1), respectively, on the basis of the speculation of spectral and physical data.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.77-88
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• 2016

To establish a new synthetic Korean meat chicken breed, we tested $5{\times}5$ diallel cross mating experiment with domestic chicken breeds. Comparing stress responses among diallel crossed chicken breeds, we analyzed telomere length, DNA damage and expressions of heat shock protein genes (HSPs) as the markers of the stress response. The telomere length was measured by quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization on the nuclei of lymphocytes. The expression levels of HSP-70, $HSP-90{\alpha}$ and $HSP-90{\beta}$ genes were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in lymphocytes. The DNA damage rate of lymphocytes was quantified by the comet assay known as the single cell gel electrophoresis. In results, there were significant differences in the values of the stress markers such as telomere length, HSPs and DNA damage rate, and also were significant differences in viabilities and body weights among the $5{\times}5$ diallel crossed chicken breeds. The telomere shortening rate, expression values of HSPs and DNA damage rate were significant low in W and Y crossed chickens compare to the others, but GG pure breed showed the highest values in the 25 crossed chickens. Estimating correlation coefficient, the survival rate positively correlated to telomere length, but negatively correlated to the expression levels of HSP-70, $HSP-90{\alpha}$, $HSP-90{\beta}$ genes and to the value of % DNA in tail as DNA damage rate. The expression levels of HSP-70, $HSP-90{\alpha}$ and $HSP-90{\beta}$ genes of dead chickens had significantly higher than those of survival chickens. According to the results on the stress marker analysis, it would be considered that the crossed breeds had more stress resistant than the pure breeds, and the crossed chickens with a light strain such as W or Y were relatively resistant to stress, but the crossed chickens with a heavy strain such as G, H, F were susceptible to stress.